WHO'S WHO IN THE WORLD OF SUPREME
Black Hand
(Andrew Garrett)
A Golden Age hero, a member of the Allied Supermen of America. Black Hand could cast "solid shadow-puppets," solid objects formed from shadows. Long retired, he was recently said to be in the hospital following a stroke.
In the alternate timeline where Suprema and Twilight organized a teen superhero team called Youngblood in 1965, Black Hand had a teenage son who inherited his power and went into action as Darkfinger. It's not known whether the Black Hand of this timeline has any children.
first appearance: Supreme #43
Blake Baron, Occult Agent
A former military officer, the leader of the World War Two unit called the Roarin' Roughnecks. During the last days of the second world war Blake Baron had an experience with a group of Third Reich occultists. He was transferred from the military to a secret government agency called The Veil, responsible for investigating paranormal phenomena. Officially, Baron was killed in an automobile accident in 1972. His current activities are top secret. Baron has access to a wide range of occult and unusual information, and has expertise in magic related to the I-Ching and the Tarot.
first appearance: Judgment Day Alpha
Boy Achilles
A young hero of ancient Greece, the son of the goddess Thetis, who was dipped in the river Styx as an infant to make him invulnerable. Because the heel by which Thetis held him did not enter the water, however, that part of his body remained vulnerable, giving rise to the expression "Achilles heel." As a boy, Achilles became a time-traveling member of the League of Infinity.
first appearance: Supreme #42
Bram the Berserk
A barbarian hero of the 5th century A.D., a worshipper of the god Wotan and the son of the frost-giant Buri. He sacked Rome with Alaric's marauding Visigoths and rode with Attila the Hun. In 436 A.D. he captured the Book of Mercury from the sorcerer Magnar Teufelsun. As an old man, Bram finally fell in battle with the Frost-Wyrm, and the Book was taken by his old ally, Bartholomew J. Troll, who kept it for himself.
first appearance: Judgment Day Alpha
The Brimstone Kid
A masked hero of the Old West who gained legendary marksmanship through a deal with the devil. He disguised himself with a domino eye-mask, and rode a flame-red horse, Gehenna. His arch-enemy was the Satanic preacher Jericho Faust. The Brimstone Kid was active in the mid-1800s, making him a contemporary of Kid Thunder, Lady Lash, Nighteagle, and Wild Bill Hickok.
first appearance: Judgment Day Sourcebook
Captain Compass
The Black Corsair
A member of the Knights Templar who, when the order was persecuted in the 14th Century, took to piracy. As part of a Templar Expedition, Compass brought the Book of Mercury to America many years before Columbus. When he died, the book passed into the hands of a Salem witch-cult, and then to Deliverance Drue.
first appearance: Judgment Day Omega
Chu-Ko Liang
A great Chinese scholar and strategist (c. 181-234 A.D.), an advisor to the emperor Liu Pei. A brilliant tactician, he was also a great inventor who created the "Sky Lantern," the first passenger balloon. As a teenager, he became a time-traveling member of the League of Infinity.
first appearance: Supreme: The Return #4
Combat
An alien warrior from the planet Katella who crash-landed on Earth several years ago. Kh'ambat was found by U.S. government agents, and given political asylum on Earth in exchange for his advanced technology. He was a member of Youngblood for a while, but returned to his homeworld after the trial of Knightsabre. He came to Earth again to enlist the help of the new Youngblood to save the Katellan system from the menace of the Goat.
Combat is a swarthy, bulky humanoid with pale yellow skin, white hair and beard, and pointed ears. Like other Katellans, he thinks Suprema (who's had world-saving adventures across the galaxy) is the mythical interstellar Goddess of Mercy and Justice, although when he finally met her, he didn't believe she was the real Suprema ("This, I think, is a big joke that they are having on me. 'Combat is a big dumb Katellan,' they think. 'We will fool him.'").
first appearance: Youngblood (1st series) #1
Jack O'Lantern
A supernatural hero of the 1940s, a charter member of the Allied Supermen of America. Jack O'Lantern is a cosmic being, the guardian of the Living Lantern that hangs above the gateway of reality, watching over the fabric of the universe and the entrances to higher realms of existence. In the 1940s the spirit of the Lantern entered the body of murdered newspaper reporter Jack Bradley and set out to fight evil on Earth. After the Allied Supermen disbanded in 1950, Jack O'Lantern returned to the immaterial realm to resume his duties. He clashed with Supreme in 1971 when Supreme foolishly tried to breach the borders of existence.
Jack O'Lantern was a spiritual entity whose form, such as it was, was just an ectoplasmic construct. He was tremendously powerful: he could fly, create duplicates of himself, make himself and others invisible, and create objects from nothingness. He was probably the most powerful member of the Allied Supermen, even more than Supreme (who was vulnerable to Jack's magical nature).
first appearance: Supreme #44
Jack Jaguar
(Jack Flynn)
Superhero alter ego of the hero Jungle Jack Flynn. By touching the jaguar tattoo on his chest, Jack became the costumed Jack Jaguar, who possessed the strength, agility, and cat-like senses of a real jaguar.
first appearance: Judgment Day Sourcebook
Johnny Panic
(John Paneczik)
A young genius conceived through artificial insemination--his biological father is Supreme's old foe, Darius Dax. John Paneczik is a brilliant chemist and electrical engineer who has used his knowledge to become the teen hero Johnny Panic (taking his name from a poem by Sylvia Plath). He's a member of Waxey Doyle's reorganized Youngblood.
Johnny's costume is equipped with sophisticated holograph projectors and speakers that lets him create realistic, three-dimensional illusions. He's also armed with an arsenal of drugs, ranging from tranquilizers and anesthetics to use on his opponents to reflex- and intelligence-boosting chemicals Johnny uses on himself. He administers his drugs with his dart-firing "buzzgun."
Johnny is truly obnoxious. He's inherited his biological father's ego along with his intellect, and he's a lazy, mischievous, amoral slacker who likes playing pranks on his teammates. He also tends to experiment with new designer drugs, sometimes with alarming side effects--the most ridiculous being Sparky, the Boy Hallucination, an imaginary kid sidekick. His teammates have learned they should keep a close eye on Johnny.
first appearance: Awesome Holiday Special
Supreme
(Ethan Crane)
Also known as the "Platinum Paragon," Supreme is the world's greatest and most powerful superhero. He is actually Ethan Crane, the adoptive son of Joe and Joanne Crane of Littlehaven, USA. He gained his enormous powers through exposure to Supremium radiation in 1925, when he was only five years old. The radiation caused his hair to turn white, and gave him a variety of formidable abilities including flight, incredible strength, near invulnerability, super-senses, the ability to project heat beams from his eyes, "exhalation Supreme," and super-speed. Supreme is nearly invincible, vulnerable only to Supremium radiation and to magic.
As a boy Ethan Crane had adventures in and around the small town of Littlehaven as "Kid Supreme." He also joined the time-traveling heroes of the League of Infinity. In 1939 he left Littlehaven for Omega City, changing his name to simply "Supreme." He served in the military during World War Two and joined the Allied Supermen of America, the first superhero team. Supreme later became a founding member of the Allies, the premier superhero team of the 1960s.
In 1968 Supreme left Earth to explore deep space. He lost his memory following a confrontation with the mystic being Jack O'Lantern , and only recently returned to Earth after years of confusion and amnesia. In his secret identity as Ethan Crane, he is now a comic book artist for Dazzle Comics. He is in love with comics writer Diana Dane, who recently learned the secret of his dual identity. He once again is a member of the reorganized Allies.
On returning to Earth, Supreme learned that his entire history is periodically revised, with old versions of himself and his friends and foes being wiped from existence and replaced with new, updated incarnations. The previous versions of himself are consigned to a limbo dimension called the Supremacy.
first appearance: Supreme #41
League of Infinity
An organization of teenage heroes from throughout history, "banded together to fight crime across time!" The League was founded in the 2450s by Zayla Zarn, a.k.a. Future Girl. They are based in the Time Tower, a staircase that stretches through time from the Big Bang to the end of the universe. The League's ability to see and travel through time means that they are aware of many things in their own past and future, and their headquarters is decorated with monuments to victories, opponents, and even the deaths of members that haven't happened yet. Members of the League include Future Girl, Young Bill Hickok, Boy Achilles, Witch Wench, Aladdin, Giganthro, Chu-Ko Liang, Mata Hari, Siegfried, and Wilhelm Reich, Orgone Lad. As a boy, Supreme was invited to join the League in 1933. Suprema also joined the League years later. The League remained active through at least 2498 (when many of the members were no longer teenagers).
first appearance: Supreme #42
Mata Hari
Legendary Dutch-born singer, dancer, and spy (1876-1917), one of history's most famous spies. The teenage Mata Hari was a member of the League of Infinity.
first appearance: Supreme: The Return #4
Professor Night
(Taylor Kendall)
The Awesome Universe's premier non-powered hero, a long-time friend of Supreme and a charter member of both the Allied Supermen of America and the Allies. Professor Night and his partner, Twilight the Girl Marvel (actually Taylor's niece, Linda), are based in Star City, where they're known as the Darktown Duo.
As a boy, millionaire Taylor Kendall was diagnosed as a child with a rare disease called Porphyria's Complaint, forcing him to avoid daylight. A fan of mystery stories and pulp adventurers like the Phantom Aviator, Taylor eventually decided to become a nocturnally themed crime fighter. His first adventure was as the Midnight Mask, helping Kid Supreme defeat the Famous Monster Mob when he was only 13. Taylor later became Professor Night, making his headquarters in the Halls of Night beneath his family home.
In 1970 Professor Night and Twilight's souls were stolen by Hulver Ramik, leaving their comatose bodies (still alive, unaging, but mindless) in the Halls of Night. They were finally rescued by Supreme, and returned to action in Star City.
Professor Night has no superhuman powers, although he becomes unusually strong and alert after dark, perhaps a side effect of his porphyria. He has an arsenal of weapons, including the crescent-shaped lunarangs and vision-obscuring Blackout Bombs. He drives a specially outfitted car call the Night-Wagon, and has a stealth aircraft called the Night-Flyer.
Professor Night's greatest foe is Jack-A-Dandy, but he has an impressive rogue's gallery including the Lounge Lizard, Evening Primrose, the Walrus and the Carpenter, and Fakeface.
first appearance: Supreme #43
Roy Roman
The prince of the undersea city of Neuport and a native of the lost continent of Lemuria, able to breathe in both air and water and possessing superhuman strength. He was a member of the original Allied Supermen of America during World War Two, but quit over differences with Superpatriot. He rejoined the Allies in 1960. Roy Roman's nephew, Lamprey, briefly became a superhero in the 1960s, while Roman himself battles Killer Crab and was bedevilled by the sprite Qyrk. Roman remained in action after they disbanded in 1970, eventually joining Brigade. After the trial of Knightsabre, Roman joined the reorganized Allies.
first appearance: Brigade #1
Siegfried
A young Teutonic hero, son of Siegmund and Sieglinde, famed for defeating the Troll Smiths Mimer and Wieland and slaying the Dragon Regin. He was invulnerable as a result of bathing in Regin's blood, and could speak with birds. He joined the time-traveling League of Infinity as a young man.
first appearance: Supreme: The Return #4
Spacehunter
(Steve Strong)
An alien lawman and superhero who came to Earth in the 1950s and became a member of the Allies. Spacehunter, who has orange skin and pupilless eyes, is part of an entire race of Spacehunters, all of whom are connected to the Immense Extra-Dimensional Awareness Network, a computerized intelligence system. Spacehunter has superhuman strength, he can fly, and he can fire purple energy beams from his eyes. He doesn't speak English, but he has the telepathic ability to make himself understood in the listener's native language. He's accompanied by an owl-like flying creature that he uses like a hunting falcon. Spacehunter's greatest foe for many years was the alien assassin Arctura, although she's now imprisoned in an Andromedan penal colony. Spacehunter was once in love with an alien woman named Xula Tharn, who is apparently dead.
Spacehunter was one of the heroes whose souls were stolen by Hulver Ramik in the early 1970s. He was recently rescued and rejoined the Allies. He also operates in his secret identity of police detective Steve Strong in the American town of Middleville.
first appearance: Supreme #48
Storybook Smith
(Sammy Smith)
A minor hero of the Golden Age, not taken seriously during his time, who actually possessed one of the most powerful items on Earth. Sammy Smith, a descendant of Puritan adventurer Deliverance Drue and his servant, Eliza Smith, served with Battlin' Baron's Roarin' Roughnecks during World War Two. While in North Africa in 1943 Smith met the Phantom Aviator, who entrusted him with the Book of Mercury. Moments later, an artillery barrage killed the Aviator and wounded Smith, earning him a medical discharge. Back in the U.S. Smith discovered he could use the Book to summon fictional characters to life. He became a superhero, dubbing himself Storybook Smith, the Literary Lawman. In 1944 he joined the Allied Supermen of America, working with them until they disbanded in 1950. He eventually retired, first using his power to do horror stories on the radio, then sinking into debauchery and drug use.
Despite his decline, Smith still had big plans for the future. He told his girlfriend, Miranda, that he had arranged (by rewriting the Book of Mercury) that he'd have a daughter who would be a famous superhero. Although the Book of Mercury was stolen from him (by the father of Marcus Langston, alias Sentinel) in 1958, the future he'd designed for his daughter was already arranged. Sammy left Miranda Creel several years later, unaware that she was pregnant. Their daughter, Leanna Creel, later became Riptide, a member of Youngblood.
Leanna Creel was eventually murdered by Sentinel after she realized that Sentinel had her father's book and took it from him. Sammy Smith's ultimate fate remains unknown.
first appearance: Supreme #43
Supreme
(Ethan Crane)
Also known as the "Platinum Paragon," Supreme is the world's greatest and most powerful superhero. He is actually Ethan Crane, the adoptive son of Joe and Joanne Crane of Littlehaven, USA. He gained his enormous powers through exposure to Supremium radiation in 1925, when he was only five years old. The radiation caused his hair to turn white, and gave him a variety of formidable abilities including flight, incredible strength, near invulnerability, super-senses, the ability to project heat beams from his eyes, "exhalation Supreme," and super-speed. Supreme is nearly invincible, vulnerable only to Supremium radiation and to magic.
As a boy Ethan Crane had adventures in and around the small town of Littlehaven as "Kid Supreme." He also joined the time-traveling heroes of the League of Infinity. In 1939 he left Littlehaven for Omega City, changing his name to simply "Supreme." He served in the military during World War Two and joined the Allied Supermen of America, the first superhero team. Supreme later became a founding member of the Allies, the premier superhero team of the 1960s.
In 1968 Supreme left Earth to explore deep space. He lost his memory following a confrontation with the mystic being Jack O'Lantern , and only recently returned to Earth after years of confusion and amnesia. In his secret identity as Ethan Crane, he is now a comic book artist for Dazzle Comics. He is in love with comics writer Diana Dane, who recently learned the secret of his dual identity. He once again is a member of the reorganized Allies.
On returning to Earth, Supreme learned that his entire history is periodically revised, with old versions of himself and his friends and foes being wiped from existence and replaced with new, updated incarnations. The previous versions of himself are consigned to a limbo dimension called the Supremacy.
first appearance: Supreme #41
Youngblood
One of the leading modern superhero teams, first organized as a U.S. government agency in the 1980s. It had various members through the 1990s, including Sentinel, Shaft, and Troll. After many adventures, Youngblood was badly shaken by the murder of member Riptide, a crime that was initially blamed on her teammate, Knightsabre. Knightsabre was put on trial in Supreme's Citadel Supreme, prosecuted by Shona Shane and defended by Toby King, a.k.a. Skipper. King discovered that Riptide (revealed to be the daughter of 1940s hero Storybook Smith) had actually been murdered by Sentinel because she'd taken the Book of Mercury from him. Although Knightsabre was acquitted, Sentinel was tried and convicted of murder, and the U.S. government withdrew its funding. Most of the members went their own ways.
At that point, billionaire Waxey Doyle (the Golden Age hero Waxman) stepped in, convincing Shaft to reorganize the team with new members. The new lineup, which operates from Waxey's mansion, the "House of Wax," now includes Shaft, Big Brother, Doc Rocket, Johnny Panic, Suprema, and Twilight.
Although Youngblood was formed in the 1980s, in an alternate timeline Suprema and Twilight decided to form their own super-team in 1965, a junior version of the Allies, using the name Youngblood. The changes that team caused in history led to a devastating superhero war that ravaged the world in 1985.
first appearance: Youngblood (1st series) #1
The Allies
The leading Silver Age superteam, some of whose members were previously in the Allied Supermen of America. Its ranks included Supreme, Professor Night, Glory, Mighty Man, Die-Hard, Super-Patriot, Roy Roman, Spacehunter, and the Fisherman. The Allies formed in May 1960 to defend the Earth against Florax the Dominator. Their headquarters was a base on an asteroid, the Asteroid Amor. After a decade of bizarre adventures against foes like Hulver Ramik, Dr. Clock, the Moth Empress, Basilisk, Atomo, and Prismalo the Painter, the Allies disbanded in 1970.
At the suggestion of Die-Hard the former Allies recently decided to regroup after the trial of Knightsabre. Supreme, Glory, Professor Night, Roman, and Spacehunter have reclaimed their old headquarters and are once again in action.
first appearance: Supreme #43
Witch Wench
A 17th-century enchantress who joined the time-traveling League of Infinity as a teenager. Her full name hasn't been revealed, but her first name is Vivienne. Witch Wench had formidable magical powers: she could fly (initially using a broomstick, later under her own power), throw lightning bolts, and create illusions. She remained a member of the League until she was an adult, eventually changing her name to Witch Woman.
first appearance: Supreme #42
Supreme the Fifth
A 1960s incarnation of Supreme, later revised out of existence and sent to the Supremacy. Supreme the Fifth was the most powerful version of Supreme, "the Supreme Supreme!" Even compared to his fellow Supremes, he was nearly omnipotent. Unlike most other Supremes, who were humans affected by Supremium radiation, Supreme the Fifth was an alien from the planet Supron. His arch-foe was King Darius VI, the most malevolent incarnation of Darius Dax.
first appearance: Supreme #41
Stephen Hush, The Ghost-Breaker
The Master Magus of the 1920s, based in a Victorian house in San Francisco. Lei-Ling's grandmother had an affair with Hush, and her descendants have served the Master Magi ever since. Hush was succeeded by Dr. Mystic.
first appearance: Judgment Day: Aftermath
Shaft
(Jeff Terrell)
A former FBI agent and a member of the original Youngblood. After Youngblood was disbanded and reorganized by Waxey Doyle following the trial of Knightsabre, Shaft became the leader of the new team, the only member of the original group to join up. Shaft has no superhuman powers, but he's probably the world's finest archer, armed with an array of specialized arrows. He's also a skilled martial artist who keeps himself in shape through continuous training.
Shaft is fascinated by Twilight, having had a crush on her since seeing the Professor Night TV series when he was a kid. The fact that Twilight is physically younger than he is (even though she's chronologically older) is both enticing and a little unnerving. Much to Jeff's frustration, Twilight just doesn't seem to be interested.
first appearance: Youngblood (1st series) #1
Original Supreme
The first version of Supreme, the first to appear on Earth, the first to be "revised" out of existence, and the first to reappear in the limbo dimension called the Supremacy. Like most of the Supremes, he was Ethan Crane, from Littlehaven. When he was ten, he found a mysterious Supremium belt buckle that allowed him to become Supreme. He abruptly vanished in 1941 and found himself in a white void along with everything connected with him (including the newspaper office building where he'd worked as Ethan Crane).
Original Supreme is not as powerful as his later counterparts, and he can't fly, although he can make tremendous leaps. Nevertheless, he's honored by his fellow Supremes as the first of their kind.
first appearance: Supreme #41
Fifties Supreme
The 1950s incarnation of Supreme, now residing in the Supremacy. Fifties Supreme experienced so many bizarre transformations caused by violet Supremium radiation that he's actually addicted to it, and he exposes himself to it on purpose--much to the annoyance of his fellow Supremes, who have to endure the side effects.
first appearance: Supreme #41
Jack-A-Dandy
A bizarre but dangerous villain who was the deadliest enemy of Professor Night and Twilight. Jack-A-Dandy looks and acts like a Victorian dandy, with a top hat, monocle, frilly cuffs, waistcoat, and spats, uses snuff, and carries a diamond-headed walking stick that's actually a Cane Cannon firing bullets or energy beams. He uses smoke bombs filled with talcum powder to blind his opponents, and he can send people reeling with lethal, lavender-scented eau de cologne. Jack sometimes employs a mob of underlings called Jackettes, henchwomen in a sexier version of his outfit. Although the Jack-A-Dandy acts like a fop, seeming perennially bored and unable to resist a wager, he's a cunning and formidable villain, capable of plotting complex schemes even while imprisoned in Star City's Miskatonic Institute for the Homicidally Distressed (his home-from-home for many years).
first appearance: Supreme #47
League of Infamy
An organization of villains from throughtout time, banded together to fight the League of Infinity. The League's members included Giganthro's foe Dino Man; King Arthur's infamous foe (and half-sister), Morganna Le Fey; the Cretan monster called the Minotaur; and a futuristic villain known only as the Tomorrow Tyrant. Darius Dax was also a part-time member. The League of Infamy traveled through time via its History Helter-Skelter.
first appearance: Supreme #42
Supremium Man I
(a.k.a. Master Meteor)
A foe of Supreme who drew his power from samples of Supremium. He had white hair and pointed ears, and wore a red tunic with pieces of Supremium set into the chest. He could use the various forms of Supremium radiation to transmute matter, disintegrate objects, and even travel through time.
He first appeared in Littlehaven in 1934, summoned there by Darius Dax's Enigmatron. He initially had red hair and called himself Master Meteor, claiming to be from a parallel world. He stole a fragment of the white Supremium meteor that originally gave Supreme his powers, which caused his hair to turn white. He fought Kid Supreme and Radar, but stopped short of killing them because he feared it would cause time paradoxes. Using his amber Supremium, he traveled forward in time. Now calling himself the Supremium Man, he fought Supreme as an adult in the 1960s.
Darius Dax recently summoned him again using his Enigmatron. The Supremium Man attacked Supreme, hoping to drain the white Supremium radiation from Supreme's tissue, but he was accidentally drawn to Billy Friday (also affected by Supremium radiation). The two somehow merged into a single being--now with red hair like Billy's. Confused and disoriented, but still searching for more white Supremium, he vanished again in time...reappearing in 1934 to become Master Meteor once more!
first appearance (as Master Meteor): Supreme #42
(as Supremium Man): Supreme #51
Supremium Man II
(Darius Dax)
A mysterious time-traveling supervillain who attacked Supreme in 1958, claiming to have fallen "from a great war in the heavens." The second Supremium Man was actually a time-traveling Darius Dax (in the body of the android Magno), who fallen backwards through time from 1997 after fusing with an artificial Supremium sample in the Citadel Supreme. In 1958 his radiation caused Sally Crane (Suprema) to gain powers like her brother, Supreme.
After further exposure to Supremium radiation, the Supremium Man dropped backwards through time again to 1925, becoming the original Supremium meteorite that gave Supreme his powers.
first appearance: Supreme #45
Billy Friday
An arrogant, obnoxious British comics writer for Dazzle Comics, a co-worker of Ethan Crane (alter ego of Supreme. Billy was fond of radical, brutal reinventions of Dazzle Comics characters, killing their sidekicks, turning them into psychotic terrorists, and generally making them painful and pretentious.
Billy got his comeuppance when he was subjected to bizarre transformations after being exposed to Supremium radiation. The Supremium caused his limbs to multiply in exponential fashion (which led him to sardonically dub himself "Billy Friday, Elaborate Lad"), growing so quickly that he became a threat to the entire Citadel Supreme. He was sent to the Prism World of Amalynth until the radiation wore off. While there he managed to offend Szazs, the Sprite Supreme and was taken to the 19th Dimension, then rescued by Emerpus, the Reverse Supreme and taken to the Backwards Zone. Emerpus then sent him forward in time to the year 2496, the era of the League of Infinity.
Returning to the present, Billy was transformed again when he was exposed to Supremium by Darius Dax. Billy went mad and was set to the Miskatonic Institute in Star City. On his release, he encountered the Supremium Man, whose radiation caused the two to merge and vanish into the time stream. Billy's ultimate fate is unknown.
first appearance: Supreme #43